HomeMy WebLinkAbout7211 Website Policy_CCv0001.pdf RESOLUTION NO. 7211
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF REDLANDS
ADOPTING A WEBSITE POLICY
WHEREAS,for the purposes of this Resolution,the term"website"refers to the City of
Redlands official website at r§ _ >I and any other domains that the City
of Redlands purchases for City purposes,and
WHEREAS,most municipal governments throughout the United States use their
websites to communicate with residents,businesses and visitors to their community effectively
for a variety of purposes, including civic engagement, economic development and emergency
notification;and
WHEREAS,the attached Website Policy serves to regulate use of the City of Redlands'
website and ensure that the City's website is properly maintained,
NOW,THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Redlands as
follows:
Section 1. The City of Redlands' Website Policy,attached hereto as Exhibit"A," is
hereby adopted.
ADOPTED, SIGNED AND APPROVED this O day of September,2012.
r�_,_l k i�
Pete Aguilar, Mayor
ATTEST:
— ;�A'
Sam Irwin,660erk
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I, Sam Irwin,City Clerk of the City of Redlands, hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was
adopted by the City Council at a regular meeting thereof held on the 4t'day of September, 2012,
by the following vote:
AYES: Councilmembers Bean, Foster, Gardner; Mayor Aguilar
NOES: None
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: Councilmember Harrison
Sam Irwin, City Clerk
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CITY OF REDLANDS
WEBSITE POLICY
1. Purpose.
The purpose of this Policy is to establish regulations for the development, operation, and
administration for the City website and to ensure that the City website remains a non-public
forum subject to the City's exclusive use and control. The purposes of the City's website are as
follows:
a. To provide a convenient and information-rich resource for residents, visitors,
businesses,non-profit organizations, other public agencies, and schools to access their City
government.
b. To provide information and resources that contributes to the health, safety and welfare
of the residents of, and visitors to, the City.
c. To contribute to the improvement of City services, foster economic development, and
enhance the sense of community within the City.
d. To establish and strengthen long-term partnerships between the City and individuals
and entities in the public and private sectors where such partnerships further the public health,
safety and welfare.
e. To contribute to the provision of quality overnight accommodations for long- and
short-term visitors, guests, and tourists in the City. Support for those businesses providing
quality overnight accommodations has a beneficial residual impact upon all tourist-oriented
business sectors in the City.
f To provide information about the City and its local services in a manner that is as
manageable, efficient,and organized as possible. Information or External Links may be
excluded from the city website where such additional information or External Links would create
visual clutter and disorganization.
2. Policy.
The City shall operate and maintain the City website as provided in this Policy.
3. Definitions.
The following definitions shall apply to this Policy:
a. "City website"means the official City website available at www.cilyofredlands.org,
and any additional domain names that the City acquires for official City use.
b. "Cookies"means files on the user's computer that enables a website to recognize the
user on subsequent visits and possibly track the user's Internet use between visits.
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c. `External Website"means a website maintained by a third party, and not by the City.
d. "External Link" is the hyperlink from the City website maintained by a third party.
e. "User"or"Users"means an individual or individuals who access the City webpage
through the Internet.
4. Non-Public forum Status.
The City website is a non-public forum. While the City encourages the public to use the City
website to access information and resources, the City expressly reserves the right to impose
certain restrictions on the use of its website. The City website is reserved for the exclusive
control of the City for the purposes of one-way communication to users of the City website. The
City website shall not be used to facilitate a general debate,public discourse or the free exchange
of ideas.
5. Authority of City Manager.
The City Manager or his designee shall have the authority and responsibility for the
implementation of this Policy. The City Manager may also make interpretations on issues that
are not clearly articulated or not included in this Policy, so long as the City Manager's discretion
is exercised in a manner consistent with the stated purposes of the City Website.
This Policy will be posted on the City website for review by the public at any time. Questions or
comments regarding any subjects or issues addressed in this Policy may be directed to:
City of Redlands
Attention: City Manager
35 Cajon Street, Suite 200
P.O. Box 3005
Redlands, CA 92373
Email: webmaster@cityofredlands.org
6. Privacy.
The City is sensitive to the privacy interests of the users of the City website and believes that the
protection of those interests is an important responsibility. The City's goal in collecting personal
information online is to provide the user with the most personalized and effective service
possible. By understanding the user's needs and preferences, the City may provide users with
improved service. The City strives to protect online personal information in the same manner
that the City protects citizen and business information obtained through other means.The
following information explains the City's policy regarding any personal information supplied
when using the City website.
a. Website Privacy Policy: The City uses automated tools to log information about each
visit to the City's website. The City processes this information in the aggregate to determine site
performance issues, such as popular pages,most frequently downloaded forms, and other site
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performance characteristics. This information does not identify individual Users. The City does
not track or record information about individuals and their visits.
b. Disclaimer: While every effort is made to keep information provided over the internet
accurate and up-to-date, the City does not certify the authenticity or accuracy of such
information. No warranties express or implied, are provided for the content,records and/or
mapping data herein, or for their use of interpretation by the User.
The City of Redlands, its elected officials, officers, employees, and agents assume no legal
responsibilities for the information or accuracy contained in this data, including any action taken
from reliance or any information contained herein and shall have no liability for any damages,
losses, costs,or expenses, including,but not limited to attorney's fees, arising from the use or
misuse of the information provided herein. The User's use thereof shall constitute an agreement
by the User to release the City and its elected officials, officers, employees and agents from such
liability.
By using this information, the User is stating that the above Disclaimer has been read and that
the user has full understanding and is in agreement with the contents.
7. Security.
The City website applies security measures to protect against the loss,misuse and alteration of
the information under the City's control. From time to time, security measures may be upgraded
or otherwise modified to meet changing needs. While the City endeavors to keep secure all
information it receives via the City website, the City cannot guarantee the security of the
information.
8. External Links.
The City has a legitimate interest in limiting persons or organizations that might be linked to the
City website. The City may exercise discretion to ensure that the links to the City website are
consistent with the purpose of the City website, as set forth in Section I of this Policy. Neither
the City website nor the External Links listed on the City website constitute a forum for
expressive activity by members of the public.
a. Each proposed External Link on the City website shall be reviewed to determine its
relevance and appropriateness to the purpose of the City website. The City Manager or his
designee shall review the merits of the proposed External Link based upon the stated purposes of
the City website, as set forth in Section Le of this Policy. A proposal for an External Link will
not be denied based on the viewpoint espoused by the individual or entity.
b. The City website will not provide External Links to websites that:
1. Promote or exhibit hate,bias, discrimination, pornography, libelous or
otherwise defamatory content.
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2.have a primary purpose of furthering the agenda of a political organization or a
candidate running for office(regardless of the political viewpoint), or defeating
any candidate for elective office.
3.Violate any of the City's equal opportunity policies.
4. Consist of personal home pages operated by individuals.
c. The City may provide External Links to certain private commercial sites that maintain
and display government-related information which fulfills the purposes of the City website as set
forth in Section 1, and which is not generally available through a governmental agency due to the
cost of compiling,maintaining and/or displaying such information. To support the cost of
compilation and maintenance of this information,these private commercial sites may include
advertising or promotional material in the information display. Accordingly, External Links to
such sites which contain this information,but also display commercial advertising or
promotional material,may be included within the City website when the City Manager or his
designee has made a good faith determination that:
1.The City's independent replication of the information targeted for linkage is
feasible due to financial or other considerations;
2.No non-commercial site provides the information targets for linkage; and
3.The information targeted for linkage greatly enhances the usefulness of the City
website and services it provides.
d. The City reserves the right to determine how and where External Links will appear on
the City website.
9. Application for External Link.
To request the addition of an External Link to the City website, the applicant shall send the
relevant URL, address,website description and purpose,brief statement as to how the proposed
website fulfills the purpose of the City website as set forth in Section 1, contact name,phone
number and email address by email to webmaster(? fr
cit o edlands.org, or by mail to:
City of Redlands
Attention: Webmaster
35 Cajon Street, Suite 200
P.O. Box 3005
Redlands, CA 92373
10. Disclaimer of External Links and External Websites.
The information posted on the City website includes hypertext External Links to information
created and maintained by other public and/or private organizations. The City provides these
links solely for the User's infort-nation and convenience.
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a. When the User selects an External Link to an External Website, the User leaves the
City website and is subject to the privacy and security policies of the owners/sponsors of the
External Website.
b. The City does not control or guarantee the accuracy,relevance, timeliness or
completeness of information contained on an External Website accessed through the City
website by External Website.
c. The City does not endorse or recommend any third party website,product, service,
view or opinion,unless otherwise noted.
d. The City does not authorize the use of copyrighted materials contained on External
Websites.
e. The City is not responsible for transmissions from External Websites.
11. Final Decision.
The decision to post or not post content and/or links on the City website resides solely with the
City Manager or his designee. The decision of the City Manager or his designee is final and
binding. Under no circumstances will individuals or entities be entitled to compensation or
damages in the event that the City Manager or his or her designee directs the City to include or
exclude the content or link.
12. Links to the City of Redlands' Website.
Advance permission to link to the City website is not necessary. However, the party linking to
the City website should be aware that its subpages may change at any time without notice.
Individuals and entities linking to the City website shall not capture pages within frames, present
the City website content as its own, or otherwise misrepresent the City website's content or
misinform Users about the origin or ownership of its content. Any link to the City website
should be a full forward link that passes the User's browser to the City website unencumbered.
The web browser's"back"button should return the User to the originating site if the User wishes
to back out.
13. Posting of Events.
Information regarding community events may be posted on the City website, so long as the
posting of such information is consistent with the purposes of the City website, as set forth in
Section 1,and meets the criteria for External Links, as set forth in Section 8. While the City
Manager or his designee may consider suggestions of events to post on the City website, the
decision of the City Manager or his designee is final and binding.
14. Accessibility.
The City website is intended to be accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for reasonable
accommodations relating to equal access to communication, or other issues relating to City
website accessibility, should be directed to: webmaster@cityofredlands.org or by mail to:
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City of Redlands
Attention: Webmaster
35 Cajon Street, Suite 200
P.O. Box 3005
Redlands, CA 92373
15. No Warranty or Representation
The City's web servers are maintained to provide public access to City information via,the
Internet. The City's web services and the content of its web servers and databases are updated
on a continual basis.While the City attempts to maintain the City webs te's information as
accurate and timely,the City does not warrant or make representations or endorsements as to the
quality, content,accuracy,or completeness of the information,text, graphics,hyperlinks, and
ether items contained on its server or any other server. Materials on the City website have been
compiled from a variety of sources, and are subject to change without notice from the City as a
result of updates and corrections.
16. Spice Marks; Trademarks and Copyright.
To the extent allowed by the Public Records Act and otherwise legally permissible,commercial
use of web materials is prohibited without the written permission of the City. All service marks
and trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners. The City retains
copyright on all text,graphic images, and other content,unless otherwise noted.No person or
entity shall engage in any of the following conduct without written permission from the City
Manager or his designee: a)modify and or use the text, images or ether City website content
from a web server,b)distribute the City's web content, and c) "mirror"the City's information on
a non-City server.
17. Notice to the City.
Communications through the City website;by email or otherwise, shall in no way be deemed to
constitute legal notice to the City or any of its agencies,officers, employees,agents,or
representatives,with respect to any existing or potential claim or cause of action against the City
or any of its agencies,officers, employees, agents, or representatives. No communication
through the City website shall be deemed to constitute legal or official notice for any purpose.
1 . Errors,Omissions,Warranty,Damages.
The City is neither-responsible nor liable for any viruses or other contamination of a User's
system due to access of the City website,nor for any delays,inaccuracies, errors or omissions
arising out of the User's access of the City website or with respect to material contained on the
City website,including without limitation,any material posted on the City website; The City
website and materials contained on it are distributed and transmitted"as&'without warranties of
merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. The City is not responsible for any special,
indirect,incidental or consequential damages that may arise from the use of,or the inability to
use,the City website and/or the materials contained on the City website, whether the materials
contained on the City website are provided by the City or a third party.
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19. Indemnification.
To the extent permitted by applicable law,by using the City website, the User agrees to defend,
indemnify, and hold harmless the City of Redlands, and its elected officials,officers, employees
representatives, and agents from and against all claims and expenses, including attorneys' fees,
arising out of the user's use of the City website or materials and information contained on the
City website.
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